


Sensation

by GhostySoldier



Category: OFF (Game)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Anxiety, Fluff and Angst, Isolation, Isolation Recovery, M/M, Post-Apocalypse, Rating may be subject to change, Recovery
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-03-18
Updated: 2015-06-04
Packaged: 2018-03-18 10:10:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,854
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3565793
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GhostySoldier/pseuds/GhostySoldier
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Isolation. All he had known was isolation for the longest time. Forever safe, he had thought at first, though before long, the empty whiteness of the vault around him began to impact him negatively. When the door opened one day and the color seemed to have returned, he will have to adjust back to life with others. (A story about the last Elsen in Zone 2.)</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

The whiteness of the world around him had become blinding. The absence of color that had once been welcomed was no longer comforting to the Elsen that sat alone in the vault. The Zone had been purified, and only he remained. How long it had been since that man with the baseball bat had come, he no longer knew. It felt like it had been years to him, years spent surviving on small portions of food remaining in the boxes he’d brought into the vault. He rarely ever left it, for the creatures outside were too dangerous. He was fortunate the food was never too far away.

He felt very lucky in the beginning, but now...emptiness. Deep down, he longed for the color to return. The other Elsen, his coworkers, to share insecurities with again. The loneliness was almost painful. Time had all but stopped now in the empty vault, the only thing to count the minutes was the Elsen’s slow breathing. Feeling trapped, empty, hopeless, he closed his eyes. Hoping that perhaps this time, he could pass on into the Nothingness.

 

* * *

 

When he opened his eyes, however, he had to close them almost immediately. There was a sudden splash of color around him, that deep blue that he had almost forgotten. Squinting as he began adjusting to the change of scenery, the Elsen got to his feet, wheezing in confusion. The color… it was back? What had happened? What had changed? He was certain that everything had been cleansed, erased by that capped man.

He was not left alone to wonder much longer, when the metal squeaking and clacking sound indicated that someone was entering the vault. His body became tense, eyes widening and breath catching in his throat. Someone was here. He had to recoil and cover his eyes, shaking as he was once again blinded by the bright fuschia color outside, compared to the white he’d become so accustomed to.

The color was soon eclipsed by the shape of a person, of similar height to him. Eyes adjusting once more, he was able to make out that they were another Elsen. Another Elsen. He hadn’t seen another in so long. They quickly took notice of him before he had even processed their presence, and slowly stepped closer. He recoiled and stared at the intruder warily, his breathing still halted in fear. They reached out their hand to him, and offered a soft smile. “Hhhhello…” they greeted.

“...The color’s back.” was his simple response, his voice weak and raspy from not being used in so long.

The newcomer tilted their head, and nodded. “Yes...The color was restored by the masked man and a cat...And we were brought back from the Nothingness.”

Silence. The other reached out to touch his arm, and he flinched away. Letting out a breath he’d forgotten he’d been holding, he wrapped his arms around himself. “So...it is safe out there? No more specters…?”

“No, the specters have all gone.”

The two Elsen exchanged looks, the intruder looking with concern at the one that had stayed trapped for so long. It seemed he had no idea what to do with himself now. "...It's safe now. Safe to come out. Hhh... c-come along with me... I can help you find a better place to stay than in here."

He hesitated at the offer, looking over the other nervously. They seemed like a normal Elsen... not like a disguised specter, or any sort of hallucination. Perhaps he could trust them, somewhat. He wouldn't let his guard down completely, of course, that would be suicide! "I must...at least know what I may call you first. Employment number, name if you have chosen one..."

"I'd be 47239. Sevvy, if you prefer."

The Elsen went silent, realizing he...couldn't remember his own name..and barely any of his number. "...You can...call me Zero...I remember a lot of zeros in my employment number."

“Zero...Well...hhh..it’s a pleasure to meet you, Zero.” Sevvy offered a smile and stretched out his hand to the other.

Zero stared at the offered hand, not sure what he should do. Wheezing anxiously, he raised his own hand, slowly moving it closer to the other’s. Joining hands caused a shiver to run down Zero’s spine. Contact. He hadn’t felt skin-on-skin contact with another in far too long. It felt strange. Alien.

Sevvy nodded and gently stepped backwards, pulling the other along out into the daylight. Squinting and wheezing, Zero adjusted to the daylight and took a breath of the smoky air. Letting the smoke fill his lungs, he felt a little dizzy, but content. It had been too long since he’d breathed it in.

“Come along...We’re already in the residential area, we don’t have to go far.”

Zero allowed himself to be led along by the other, stumbling occasionally as they walked across the residential area of Zone 2. Looking around, he observed other Elsen going about their day, some chatting and others just relaxing in the warmth of the day. Everything was so peaceful and full of life, it was odd considering he’d last seen this place empty and white.

The fuschia around him soon turned to blue as he was brought inside a building, the door closed behind him. Sevvy turned to face him, adjusting his tie. “Well, hhhh, h-here we are.. my home. Hhh...make yourself comfortable, Zero. I have to go do something but I will be back soon.”

“....Hhhh….okay…” He was hesitant to let the other out of his sight, for fear that the whiteness would return, that perhaps this was just some strange dream. However, he hoped that if he kept touching things, exploring the home he was just brought into, it could seem more real. Quickly busying himself adjusting to his new surroundings, Sevvy was able to leave him there to his own devices.

Sevvy was quiet as he closed the door, leaving the home. He felt a wave of concern for the odd Elsen he had found in that fault, all the more reason to go inform their savior as to what he’d found. He turned and strode briskly through the residential area, with more firm purpose this time. Walking through the streets of Zone 2, he searched for one person in particular, no average Elsen. He soon reached the mall, where he found who he was searching for. “M-mister Zacharie, sir...Hhhhh…”

He was paused by a hand gently held up. “Amigo, there’s no need for the formal designation. Just call me Zacharie.”

“Hhh..right...sorry...Zacharie. There is something..u-urgent you must know...Th-there was someone in a v-vault.”

“A vault? Which one?” The merchant shifted into a more interested position, leaning forward. Despite his mask hiding his expressions, it was still easy to read his emotions.

Sevvy cleared his throat and made the best eye contact he could with the other, and responded. “Vault 1709. He acted as though he’d been in there...for a very long time…”

Zacharie was ominously silent, processing this information. Checking back with his memory of what the zones were like after the Batter had purified them. He didn’t recall any survivors other than the Judge and himself, and clearly the Batter. He sighed and leveled his gaze with the Elsen. “I don’t recall there being any survivors of the purification that were Elsen. I’ll have to do some digging, amigo. For now, just.. try to keep him comfortable. He may not yet be ready to talk about what he’s likely been through.”

“I underst-stand, Z-zacharie…”

“You may take your leave, amigo.”

Sevvy nodded, bowing his head formally despite Zacharie’s insistence that there was no need, and rushing out of the mall. He quickly made his way back home, wheezing softly and opening the door. He saw Zero standing in the middle of his kitchen, a cup of plastic spilled on the floor, and the strange Elsen trembling in fear. Sevvy quickly realized the poor fellow had been startled by his return.

“I..I...I’m sorry...hhhh...I’m so s-s-sorry…” apologies gushed out of Zero’s mouth when he realized he had just made a mess of his host’s clean floor. Would he be kicked out? Forced back into the “pure” vault? His mind clouded in panic and he began to see black.

Sevvy gasped seeing the other about to Burn, and he quickly rushed over, placing his hands on Zero’s shoulders. He spoke kindly, but worriedly. “H-hhhey, it’s alright. It’s alright. It can be easily mopped up, I’m not angry. It’s okay. You’re alright. Don’t worry.”

It took minutes of soft coaxing and gentle words for him to convince the other that nothing bad was going to happen to him. Zero let out a few final puffs of smoke and hid his face in his hands. He backed up against the wall, trembling. He’d been touched, and spoken to, and it disoriented him more than anything. He wasn’t used to this, he was used to silence and emptiness and having nothing there to touch him.

Sevvy respectfully stayed back now, starting to clean up the plastic on the floor and put the cup away. He’d have to make sure the other felt comfortable to help him adjust to life with color. It wouldn’t be an easy task, he knew for certain.

* * *

 

“Z…..za…..c...h….a…”

“Hey, don’t hurt yourself there. It’s alright. I just need to ask you some things, amigo.”

“....W….h...a...t…?”

“Do you recall ever seeing an Elsen in the pure Zones? A survivor?”

“E...el….se...n…? ...Y...yes…..”

“Where was it…? Do you remember, amigo?”

“.....V...va….ul….t...1709….”

“I see...thank you, amigo. That was very helpful…”


	2. Chapter 2

Morning came peacefully in Zone 2, the sun rising in the lavender sky, Elsen just beginning to stir awake in their beds. It was quiet here. Almost overwhelmingly so for Zero. He let out an anxious wheeze as he gazed out the window, watching the morning arrive. A sight he hadn’t seen. It was silent for a long while, before he stood up, walking toward the kitchen. Sevvy had not woken up yet, leaving the other to dwell in uncomfortable silence.

Zero let out a lonely sigh and poured a glass of cool plastic from the fridge. The cool liquid running down his throat gave him a sense of peace, of existing. He took comfort in it and slowly began to relax at last. However, it didn’t last for very long. There came a knock at the door, and he froze up, fearing a specter or a Secretary had come to attack. Staring at the door, he barely glimpsed a drowsy Sevvy passing by him and going toward it. Seeing the other about to open the door, he cried out and tried to stop him.

The door opened just as he tackled the younger Elsen to the floor, covering him with his own body. There was a soft gasp from the doorway, and Sevvy let out a loud wheeze in pain when his back hit the floor. Zero kept him pressed to the floor, eyes shut tight and trembling, until he felt a gentle hand on his back. He flinched and his eyes widened.

“Hhh…!!”

“Calm down now. I am not here to hurt you, amigo.”

Zero looked up and gulped, seeing a man with a frog-like mask staring down at him. He slowly started to stand, backing up and mumbling weak apologies. Sevvy and the man were watching him, and he feared they were also judging him for his panic. The strange man approached him, holding out his hand. “Hey, deep breaths. I’m not gonna hurt you. You’re alright.”

Deep breaths. In, out, slowly. He had to relax. Once he felt he’d reached a state of calm, he looked at the masked merchant and questioned, “Who are y-you…? Hhh…”

“I’m Zacharie, amigo. I’m just here to ask you a few questions, there isn’t any penalty for your answers. You’re not in trouble, don’t worry.”

He tried to ease the inevitable anxieties the Elsen would face when presented with questions, trying to make sure he felt like he was in a safe environment. Zero glanced at Sevvy, who nodded reassuringly, so he nodded in response. “O-okay, Mr. Zacharie…”

Zacharie gestured to the chairs Sevvy had in his living room, letting Zero take a seat before sitting across from him, making eye contact. “So...Sevvy told me he found you in vault 1709...may I ask what you were doing in there?”

“..I was hiding..from danger…”

“What danger were you hiding from?”

Zero gulped and looked at the other nervously. “The specters and the secretaries…”

Zacharie went silent, it was an uneasy silence, and then he asked, “What was everything like when the danger was there? The colors?”

“N-nothing b-but white… e-empty, so empty...So empty...hhh..”

Zero’s breathing became unsteady, and Zacharie quickly tried to comfort the shaken Elsen. He rubbed slow, soothing circles into the other’s back, waiting until he’d calmed. Zero looked up at Zacharie with an anxious expression, fear in his eyes. Zacharie looked the Elsen in the eyes, and spoke softly.

“Zero, you were in what is called a pure Zone. A pure zone comes about when the Guardian is...purified… A man named the Batter came to the Zone, and purified it, along with the other zones. Often, it results in everyone being erased, falling into the Nothingness.”

Zero gulped, trembling. “B-but...why was I…?”

“I suspect it had something to do with the safe itself. While it was not exempt from being purified, it protected you from being erased, as you were safe inside it when the Guardian fell.”

A tense silence overcame the room, as the Elsen processed this information. His brows creased and he wheezed, looking at the room around him. He looked at Sevvy, then at Zacharie. “...Then how is the color back? And you...”

The masked merchant leaned back, and crossed one leg over the other. “Well, amigo, that’s a long story but I will sum it up. The Judge, the Batter, and I returned the Add-ons to the Zones, restoring their energy and reviving the inhabitants. I have yet to locate the Guardians, but I have become the unofficial Guardian of this Zone for the time being.”

Sevvy nodded, and gently put his hand to Zero’s shoulder, assuring him that he was indeed real. The Elsen let out a shaky breath, a small wisp of smoke escaping. He buried his face in his hands, processing the new information. It was overwhelming to him, so complex and confusing, so many questions without answers. It scared him. He looked to Sevvy and whimpered, holding onto the other’s hand tightly.

Reassurance came to him, the other Elsen comforting him and helping him relax. Zero had begun trusting Sevvy, finding a sense of safety with him. Zacharie could see Zero needed time to process things, and said his goodbyes, leaving the two alone in the house. He’d gotten the information he needed anyway.

It took a good hour to regulate Zero’s breathing to a slow, healthy pace, and calm him down. Sevvy remained patient with him, instructing him to breathe in tune with him. The two Elsen stayed close to each other, in a silence that didn’t need to be broken. Zero was at peace, breathing slowly, his eyes closed as he tried to relax. He needed the rest. Touching still felt alien to him, but it didn’t send him into a sense of overload like it had initially.

He was adjusting.

\---------

The sky was dimming in Zone 2, a sight that Zero watched from his seat by the window. The sunset was out of view, off to the west of the little home where the window faced east. A scent of cooked meat and spices wafted through the room, followed by Sevvy’s soft humming. The other Elsen was making dinner for the two of them.

Zero gasped softly as Sevvy called him to the table, two plates of meat at the table, Sevvy was already seated. “..Eat up, Zero… You need it...”

The timid Elsen took a sniff of the meal on his plate, and a small lick as he judged whether or not it was harmful. A little hot, yes, he might burn his tongue, but there was no poison or danger. Zero mumbled a soft “thanks” and began to eat the meal, his eyes going wide once he tasted it for real. “...Ah…”

Sevvy paused and tilted his head in concern, watching the other. “Is everything okay?”

“...This is… this.. is… S-so yummy…” Zero whispered, hands quivering as he spoke.

“I’m glad you like it.” Sevvy smiled.

The exchange was short, as Zero promptly resumed eating, at a quicker pace. He seemed to enjoy the meal of meat he’d been given. That was a good sign, a sign he was adjusting back to normal life. Sevvy allowed a smile as he ate his own food, he was happy for him. He knew now that he’d be okay.


End file.
